The Wellstone effect and Chief Wiggles. [NO Wellstone. ALL "Chief"]

Weekly Standard ^ | Nov. 10, 2003 issue

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Call Him Wiggles

In a story in last week's Newsweek online about Iraqi reconstruction, there was a glancing mention of an important grassroots effort to reach out to Iraqi children. The article talks about safety improvements in parts of Baghdad: "There are motor pools, and Internet cafes, cafeterias and video lounges." And in an almost dismissive manner, it continues: "There's even a blog from inside the Green Zone, put out by someone who says he's a military intelligence soldier using the pseudonym Chief Wiggles (http://chiefwiggles.blog-city.com). Lately the boosterish Chief Wiggles has been using his blog to find donors to give him bicycles so soldiers can pedal around the zone giving out toys to children."

Boosterish? We understand the writer probably bears no malice towards the chief, but this operation is no ordinary "toys for tots" program. Wiggles's efforts to make life a little easier for the children of Iraq is on a scale with Gail Halvorsen, the celebrated "candy bomber" who dropped chocolates down to German children during the 1948 Berlin airlift. And despite doubts expressed in the Newsweek piece about Wiggles's identity ("someone who says he's a military intelligence soldier"), the man is authentic. The Chief (whose real name is classified for security reasons) serves in Utah's 141st military intelligence battalion (National Guard) and is currently working as an interrogator and debriefer at a palace in Baghdad. But on one occasion, he witnessed a poor girl crying and was so moved he wanted to gather up some toys for her. He then made mention of this idea of giving even more toys to more children on his blog, and thousands of people from around the world responded, all wanting to know how they could help.

To date, the Chief's "Operation Give," a newly set-up nonprofit organization, and "Share Joys Through Toys" effort has yielded more than 800 packages from overseas. Even Federal Express has gotten involved by shipping some of the packages from the United States free of charge.

Hundreds of toys have been distributed to a children's hospital in Baghdad, among other venues. "As we went down each hall and ward of the hospital, our following grew behind us as the word of our arrival spread like wild fire," writes Wiggles. "Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of people, we were unable to deliver toys to every employee or family member who desired something. We were there to make sure each and every sick child got a toy. The kids were great. Yes, there were many very sad situations causing me to cry inside for the kids, but there were smiles indicating their happiness to see us with the toys."

Wiggles humbly describes himself as "one individual trying to make a difference" and believes that "one person's seemingly insignificant positive actions can exponentially initiate a rippling of positive energy." Call him benevolent, noble, or selfless. Just don't call him boosterish.

[VOA]

NOW HEAR THIS ALL LURKERS/POSTERS:

THIS WEEKEND (November 8 and 9) is the LAST SHOPPING WEEKEND for Parcel Post mailing
of care packages to our BEST AND BRIGHTEST who will be stationed far from home for the holidays
(deadline for this inexpensive mailing route is November 13th).

TIME to:
SHOP
BOX
and
MAIL

THAT IS ALL!

till next time...

[VOA]

bump...time to shop, box and mail nilitary care-packages for the holidays!

[VOA]

bump

[VOA]

Sunday Good-Cause bump

[VOA]

I know I'm like a broken record, but here goes...

NOW HEAR THIS ALL LURKERS/POSTERS:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH IS THE DEADLINE for inexpensive Parcel Post mailing of miltary
care-packages to our BEST AND BRIGHTEST who will be stationed far from home for the holidays.
...some of these folks will be spending their first Thanksgiving, Christmas and
New Years away from home and family, in one of the about 160 countries...

TIME to:
SHOP
BOX
and
MAIL

for shipping advice, see threads at these URLs:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1003802/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/997310/posts

THAT IS ALL!
At Ease!

[VOA]

Ragtime Cowgirl, I apologize in advance to you and Jim Robinson for stealing this thread momentarily...

Dear Fellow Freepers...I'm hi-jacking this thread for a short side-bar in hopes to inform you to motivate y'all just a bit.....
the deadline (November 13th) for mailing military care-packages via the APO/FPO route to
our best and brightest has passed.

BUT...you can still mail military care packages!
I know, I DID IT YESTERDAY! (Saturday 11-15-03)

It's still TIME to:
SHOP
BOX
and
MAIL

for shipping advice, see threads at these URLs:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1003802/posts
(please not that the USPS website URL are missing a ".com"),
and remember to mark the "Redirect" box and write in "Commander/Chaplain"
on the Customs form...that way your box will definitely be used
AND
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/997310/posts


Further info. on VOA's mailing of two packages on 11-15-03, Saturday

I'll admit that it's costly. I loaded up one of the free "Priority Mail" cardboard boxes from the
local United States Post Office.
I loaded up each of two boxes with all sorts of "comfort food" and "personal hygiene" items that
should be useful, no matter if the recipient gets them or they are redirected by a "commander/chaplain".

I loaded each boxes with food items like...
flavored coffeed (e.g, hazelnut flavored that had sugar in the blend),
artificially-sweetened Tropical-Punch-flavored Kool-Aid (so sugar isn't required),
Spam-brand "Oven-roasted Turkey" (no pork products; metal-sealed for long-term preservation)...something
that a hungry Iraqi might really appreciate as a gift),
Lipton soup-packets in the flavors of "chicken noodle", "ranch", and "beef onion" (humble, but a change of pace!)
Oreo Cookies ("America's Favorite Cookie"...so I bet US soliders like 'em),
M&Ms -- holiday-colors...bet those will be well received around the tent!,
disposable razors (and a bar of "Burma-Shave" brand shaving soap!),
new toothbrushes (heck, might just be useful in cleaning an M-16!) and toothpaste,
solid-form under-arm deoderant....

I'm sure that folks who've actually served in a long-term deployment far from home, especially when separated
from beloved family and friends DURING THE HOLIDAYS can come up with even much more meaningful
and significant items to send to those who are abroad...protecting us, their fellow band of brothers and sisters,
and, at a long reach.....you and me.

[VOA]

bump for publicity...
and free advice...don't pack soap products with food products.
Apparently there it's a pretty sure deal that the food will end up having a "soap" taste
and/or fragrance.

[knews_hound]

reference bump

[VOA]

thanks for stopping by...and for bumping